The present invention relates to a storing and conveying apparatus for particulate substances in general, and more particularly to an arrangement for use in the production of mortar or the like.
It is already known to provide an apparatus of the type here under consideration, which basically includes a container capable of accommodating the ingredients of mortar, and metering and/or mixing arrangement for the ingredients of mortar or similar substances. It is also known to make the container of a silo-shaped configuration and to support the same on legs, and to construct the mixing arrangement as a conveyor provided with an enclosing casing having an inlet opening for admitting the above-mentioned ingredients to a conveyor screw accommodated within the casing. Under these circumstances, it is usual to connect the conveyor to the container in such a manner, and by means of a conventional connecting arrangement, that the inlet opening of the casing of the conveyor communicates with the discharge opening of the container.
In the above-discussed apparatus, the particulate substance containing the ingredients of mortar or the like flows or descends into the conveyor which constitutes the mixing arrangement. Usually, the conveyor includes an advancing screw and, in many instances, also a metering screw or the like, these conveying elements serving for advancing the dry particulate material in the actual producing apparatus in which water is added to these ingredients. In addition thereto, it is also possible to add water directly in the mixing arrangement.
As a result of the dimensions of the container and of its support legs, as well as based on the different ground formations which are encountered at different building sites at which the arrangement is to be erected, the outlet opening of the mixing arrangement can, in many cases, lie lower than the receptacle into which the dry or wet substance is to be introduced or poured from the outlet opening of the conveyor. As mentioned before, this receptacle may be of the type in which the mortar or similar substance is to be transported to the actual point of use only after it has already been mixed with water and thoroughly worked, or it can be a receptacle forming part of a device in which water is added to the particulate material to be mixed with and worked until mortar of substantially uniform consistency is obtained. No improvised measures are possible especially in the latter instance, since the elevation of the upper edge of the receptacle is given. However, under other circumstances, substantially horizontal arrangement of the mixing device is advantageous or desirable, particularly inasmuch as the gravitational forces do not have any considerable effect on the mortar or particulate material present in the mixing device and/or amount of water which is potentially added to the material directly in the mixing device.
Now, it would be possible to lengthen or extend the support legs of the silo-shaped container for achieving higher elevation of the outlet opening of the mixing device. However, this would have the perceivable disadvantage that the stability of the silo-shaped container would be diminished and problems could be encountered during its transportation.